OpenLab provides an environment and set of resources where customers representing telecommunications, education, government, financial services, and virtually every other vertical market can explore new technologies, all in the spirit of network transformation. By examining SDN/network automation solutions such Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), and others, OpenLab offers a platform for developing and delivering new network-integrated functionality that serves the greater need.

The intent of this document is to help customers who are interested in implementing security protection mechanisms in Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) domains.

This white paper from Intel and VMware introduces key NFV infrastructure (NFVI) performance concepts and issues, giving CSPs the tools they need to better understand and manage overall performance as they deploy NFV in their networks.

While IMS is not new, complete virtualization of IMS (vIMS) is new. Network functions virtualization (NFV) provides operators with the ability to rapidly and inexpensively deploy, configure, launch, and upgrade services, which can lead to faster time to market and lower operating costs, providing an important competitive advantage against traditional CSPs and new OTT service providers. It can also reduce the business risk associated with new service introductions. This agility allows operators to offer trials of new service offerings on a much larger scale, leading to acceleration of new revenue generation.

While holding the promise of HD quality, enriched services, and the benefits of a common packet switched access infrastructure, the adoption of infrastructure-based voice over LTE (VoLTE), along with rich communications such as video and real-time messaging, has stalled over the last few years with concerns around quality, security, and cost. During that time, the value of the phone number as a globally significant user ID and key services such as SMS and MMS have been relegated by phone manufacturers, over the top (OTT) services, and even the subscribers themselves as “technologies of last resort.” Finally, the proliferation of 4G, together with the emergence of network functions virtualization (NFV), powered by Intel®, Hewlett Packard Enterprise* (HPE), and Metaswitch*, is allowing network operators to take charge of the consumer’s communications experience, once more.

Communications service providers are looking for alternative deployment models that will help them support fast-growing network demand. Moving to a virtualized EPC (vEPC) solution can help service providers achieve more cost-e?ective scaling by using standard high-volume servers in place of purpose-built systems. System integrators, software vendors, and platform providers rely on Intel® technologies to deliver the performance and scalability required for vEPC solutions. Intel is also participating in the development of open standards, contributing to the open source community, developing reference architectures, engaging with industry participants, and collaborating on trials that can help facilitate the evolution to vEPC solutions and accelerate network transformation by use of network functions virtualization.

SDN deployment is not a matter of if but when—is your data center ready? This new eGuide reveals how to maximize the value of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV).

Digital transformation has become a top mandate for almost every IT and business leader. The ZK Research 2015 IT Priorities Survey found that 79% of businesses currently have a digital transformation initiative in progress (Exhibit 1). In the digital era, competitive advantage is no longer determined by which company has the best products or even the best people. Market leadership is based on an organization’s ability to analyze information, gain insights and make fast decisions to capitalize on market transitions.
One important step in the journey to becoming a digital organization is to transform into an agile business—and it is impossible to do so without having an agile IT infrastructure to enable it. This is why businesses spent more than $12 billion on technology in 2015 to make IT more agile, according to ZK Research.

Digital transformation has become a top mandate for almost every IT and business leader. The ZK Research 2015 IT Priorities Survey found that 79% of businesses currently have a digital transformation initiative in progress (Exhibit 1). In the digital era, competitive advantage is no longer determined by which company has the best products or even the best people. Market leadership is based on an organization’s ability to analyze information, gain insights and make fast decisions to capitalize on market transitions.